Private Residence
THE FISHING
This trip is ideal for guests who are looking for something a little different, where privacy and solitude are paramount. Couples who love to fish together and good friends who enjoy each others company, in a special environment, are perfect for this trip.
The house is located out in the country in a very remote and unpopulated part of the South Island. The beauty of this property and its location is that everything comes right to you. Your guide for the week will come to the house to pick you up each morning and drop you off at the end of each day. The helicopter lands right in your back yard and all you have to do on the days you are doing fly outs, is walk out of the kitchen and through a small wooden gate at the back of the house. The chopper lands in a field just above the house, no more than 30 yards from where you eat and sleep. It could not be easier!
This is a dedicated Brown Trout fishery that Private Residence guests will be spending the week in. The Northern third of the South Island is exclusively a Brown Trout fishery and if guests are interested in fishing for Rainbows on their trip, there are certainly good options for this further south.
The house is located no more than a 20-minute drive from multiple rivers that range in size from small streams to larger freestone rivers. Depending on conditions and the time of year you are staying at the house, in most cases, you won’t be driving more than 45 minutes each way, as there simply is no need to drive any further. There are simply too many good, fishable rivers, that are close by so there just isn’t any need to driver further. Anglers can expect fish in the four-to-seven-pound range when driving to the river each day. On your helicopter fly out days, the close proximity to the Kahurangi National Park, means that guests will have easy access to the multitude of excellent Brown Trout rivers that are located inside the park. This is one of my favorite places to fish in the entire country and anglers can expect to sight fish to fish in the five-to-eight-pound range. Larger fish are certainly available and not that uncommon within the park boundary.
While some degree of dry fly fishing is available throughout the season, peak dry fly time for this part of the South Island is mid December through February. Anglers can expect to use both dries and nymphs with indicators during the course of a normal fishing week. Dry fly fishing will certainly be the guides first choice when you encounter a fish. Our guides who work the Private Residence trip are exceptional and each one lives in the area and has at least 20 years of experience guiding for trout in New Zealand.
The Private Residence trip comes with a chef who handles breakfast, lunch and dinner, throughout the week. She buys all the food, prepares three excellent meals each day and does all the dishes after every meal. Our private resident guest’s fish and eat like Kings and Queens. It doesn’t get much better than this week.
BOATS AND EQUIPMENT
This part of New Zealand is entirely a walk and wade fishing environment. SUV’s will take anglers to the river or stream the guide has selected to fish that day. We use the services of local “chopper” companies out of the Nelson are that specialize in Heli-Fishing. The helicopter you’ll fly in will, in most cases, be Bell LongRangers, with jet engines jet engine
Bell 206L LongRanger – up to 4 passengers (including guide) + pilot
GETTING THERE
The house is located in the northern section of the South Island, roughly a one-hour drive south west from the Nelson Airport. The majority of flights coming in to New Zealand from the US and Canada arrive in Auckland, which is located on the north island. And fortunately, there are numerous flights per day to Nelson from Auckland, so it’s easy to get down to Nelson the day you arrive in Auckland. Once you arrive at the airport in Nelson, our driver will meet you as soon as you’ve picked up your luggage and she will drive you directly to the house.
Slipstream is a full-service travel company that can handle a variety of services relating to your trip. For assistance, please contact us directly at 1 866 644-7703.
RATES FOR 2024-25
$9,200 USD DBL
- CHC - New Zealand
- November to April
- Brown Trout
- 2 Rods per week guests
- Wifi: Yes
- Language: English
- Physicality: Low
- CC Payment at Facility : Yes
From our gallery
Private Residence
Tour Location
LOCATION
PRIMARY SPECIES
SEASON OF OPERATION
MID SEASON - Mid December through March
LATE SEASON - April
ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE LOGISTICS
THE LODGE
The house is wonderfully situated in a very rural and remote part of the South Island. The property is located just minutes form several rivers and is set on 25 acres that broach the national forest park boundary. A more remote and quiet location would be hard to find.
With an open floor plan setting, the house is architecturally designed in a Southern European style that blends seamlessly into the surrounding landscape. The building is all on one floor, nicely spread out with plenty of space, both indoor and out. The back of the house, just off the kitchen, has a lovely shaded area with an outdoor table and chairs. Old vines rap around the roof and pillars and along with tiles, the backyard seating area is far more reminiscent of Southern Italy than it is New Zealand.
Inside, the house is ideally laid out in such a way as to maximize the indoor space. There are two bedrooms, each with comfortable Queen size beds, that are at opposite sides of the house. Between the two bedrooms, there is a hallway and a large bathroom area that includes a sink and toilet, along with an additional attached room that has both a standup shower and an old-style bathtub with sink. The open style kitchen has all the amenities and is equipped with everything that your chef will need for the week. To the right of the kitchen is a large living and dining room area. There is satellite TV with ESPN, in case you want to catch the NFL game back home and very good WIFI throughout the house. Cell service is also good, so long as you have an international roaming plan.
The back door from the kitchen leads out to a fantastic outdoor space and dining area. With roof vines, abundant green plant life and tiling, this glorious backyard seating area is far more reminiscent of Southern Italy than it is New Zealand. The outdoor BBQ and table is ideal for al fresco dining in the evenings and there is a lovely shaded porch with lounge chairs that make for a great après fishing spot for a glass of wine or two.
These are not luxury accommodations to be sure. What the house is, is a warm and cozy environment that is very comfortable. The house and property have a very special vibe to it and the facility has everything the traveling angler could want.
DESTINATION CAPACITY
Private Residence
Private Residence
INCLUDED IN PRICE
- Round trip transfers from the Nelson Airport to the house
- 7 nights’ accommodation at the house in the Motueka Basin
- A private chef who prepares three excellent meals per day
- 6 days of guided fishing
- 3 helicopter fly outs during the week
- 15% New Zealand Government Goods and Service Tax (GST)
NOT INCLUDED IN PRICE
- International and domestic airfare to and within New Zealand
- Alcohol
- Fishing gear (waders, boots, rods reels)
- Fishing License (about $20 USD per day or $125 USD for the whole season)
TRAVEL DOCUMENTS REQUIRED
U.S., Canadian and EU members must have a passport that is valid for 3 months beyond intended stay as well as tickets and documents for return or onward travel. No Visa required for stays of up to three months.